The plan for the weekend was to battle nerves. To carbo load. To get lots of rest.

Check off that last one.

It's one day until Boston. A day to start hydrating. Bulk up on pasta and bananas. Figure out what to wear for the race. And check the weather forecast - again. But I'm already thinking ahead to 2015. There will be no running until May.

Instead of final preparations, I'm popping pain pills and stool softeners. If four hours go by and I don't need a nap, I consider it a victory. Hey, if this is the worst thing that happens to me this month, I'm a lucky man.

After having my appendix taken out Tuesday, the couch has been my happy place. Day, night and all hours in between. I'm there now, watching the Bruins. But on Saturday, I didn't nap. And that permanent indent on the cushion became a little shallower. I did something I needed to do: headed to Boston with my family to pick up the marathon bib number I no longer need. I earned it, paid 175 clams for it, might as well go get it.

Whether I run or not, I'm still No. 8414. Wave 1, Corral 9.

It was a little bittersweet, but I wanted to make the trip; sore side or not.

After taking a busy T train to the Hynes stop, all we had to do was follow the stream of runners to the convention center, not far from the looming, hallowed finish line. Once I received my race bag, I located some friends I used to run with in Bozeman, Mont. We caught up for a while, then I needed to say goodbye - I was starting to fade.

As I was walking around, I noticed something; there were people walking around using crutches and walking boots. They had their shwag-bags and Adidas running jackets. There are probably hundreds of people who are unable to toe the starting line; sign up in September and who knows what can happen to trip you up.

As much as I'll miss being in Hopkinton Monday morning, I'm choosing to look back at the highlights of my training.

In February, I gladly slipped on multiple layers and put in a 90-mile week when it was 10 degrees and windy every day. Thousands of others were doing the same. After what happened last year, it didn't feel like such a chore. It was the highest weekly mileage I think I've ever compiled. And I felt on top of the world.

In March I ran a half-marathon and was first master.

Just last Sunday I ran 13 miles for a confidence boost since I hadn't been feeling right lately. It rained for much of the run, but it felt great. Come Tuesday I was having surgery.

Page 2 of 2 - I won't run on Monday. But I'll be watching. And checking up on friends online.

And maybe on Tuesday I'll start looking for a late-summer marathon to plan for. Time to start thinking about re-qualifying.